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Tag: Cynthia Osokogu

  • So long, Cynthia Osokogu

    This last Thursday after a five year trial, a Lagos State High Court presided over by Justice Olabisi Akinlade sentenced to death by hanging the killers of Cynthia Osokogu, the former post graduate student of Nasarawa State University and daughter of a retired army general.

    It was a death that shook the nation to its foundation, causing the bones to freeze all the way. This ravishingly beautiful girl was a classic combination of brains and beauty, and a gifted and enterprising one to boot. She could have been the delight of any parent any day. There is no one who has fathered female children and watched them gradually grow into radiant maturity who will not feel the pain and the pangs of traumatic loss. How these savage brutes could think of doing such a thing remains incomprehensible to any sane person. Some monsters in human form are stalking Nigeria.

    Hopefully with the sentencing and the prospective appointment of the psychotic killers with the hangman, some sort of closure would have been brought to this terrible tragedy and some relief to the parents. Although the trial seemed to have taken an unduly long time, it is hard to fault the prosecuting team given the circumstances. The police must also be commended for carrying out a thorough investigation which led to the arraignment and conviction of these wicked animals. Governor Akin Ambode must waste no time in signing their papers. He must also expedite action on other pending cases awaiting the executioner’s noose.

    In addition to the commendable efforts to turn Lagos into a well-lit, well-paved African megalopolis, it is also important to send the feelers out that Lagos has zero-tolerance for dastardly crimes. As the preeminent economic and technological hub of the country, Lagos, with its traditionally accommodating culture and humane civility, must play host to all kinds of characters, not a few of them undesirable anti-socials and other traumatised psychopaths.

    It is up to the immigrants to assimilate and be assimilated into culture of the host community that has extended warm courtesy and urbane tolerance to them. Lagos is not an anarchic no-man’s land. As it was said, when you are in Rome, you must do as Romans. Every society must fashion out the system of retribution which best suits the tempo and temperament of the time, and must find the means of meting out commensurate punishment for commensurate crime.

    Wickedness and wanton cruelty can only be stamped out by equal if not greater state ferocity. There is no point doubting the wisdom and efficacy of the Hammurabi Code at this juncture in Nigeria’s life when the entire society appears to have been overtaken by callousness and a satanic disregard for the sanctity of the human life. May the soul of this poor girl find some repose.

     

  • Cynthia Osokogu’s killers to die by hanging

    Cynthia Osokogu’s killers to die by hanging

    •Facebook stalker, nephew found guilty of ex-general’s daughter’s murder

    Two of the four men tried for the 2012 murder of a general’s daughter, Cynthia Osokogu, are to pay the supreme price for the offence.

    Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo and his nephew  Olisaeloka Ezike are to die by hanging, Justice Olabisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court said yesterday.

    Justice Akinlade found them guilty of drugging, chaining and strangling Osokogu, who was a Nasarawa State University post-graduate student, to death at Cosmilla Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos, on July 22, 2012.

    Orji Osita, 37, and Ezike Nonso, 29, were discharged and acquitted of the charge of recklessness, negligence and possession of stolen goods.

    Osita, a pharmacist, had been accused of supplying Nwabufo with Rophynol, a sedative which was allegedly used on the deceased, without a prescription.

    While Nonso was accused of buying her stolen Blackberry phones from Ezike.

    Nwabufo, 37, Ezike, 27, Osita and Nonso were arraigned on February 8, 2013, on a six-count charge of conspiracy, murder, stealing, recklessness, negligence and possession of stolen goods.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    Delivering her judgment which began at 10:53am and ended at about 3:20pm, Justice Akinlade held that the state had proved the counts of conspiracy, murder and stealing beyond reasonable doubt.

    She held that with its 10 witnesses and 17 exhibits, the prosecution’s case against Nwabufo and Ezike was uncontroverted and that the circumstantial evidence brought by the state was “cogent, complete, unequivocal and compelling.”

    But the judge resolved in Osita and Nonso’s favour, doubts in the prosecution’s evidence against them.

    Relying on the witnesses’ testimonies, Nwabufor’s and Ezike’s confessional statements and the circumstantial evidence, Justice Akinlade said: “The court has no doubt that the first and second defendants killed the deceased and if there are contradictions in their case, they are minor contradictions.”

    Before passing judgment, the judge asked the defendants if they had anything to say.

    Their counsel, Victor Okpara and Emeka Eze pleaded for mercy. Okpara added that Nwabufo was a first time offender who has “tremendous energy to do something worthwhile with his life. I urge this court to grant him a reformative sentence.”

    In her response, Justice Akinlade said: “I have listened to the plea of counsel (allocutus). Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State says clearly that a person who commits murder shall be sentenced to death.

    “In judgment, justice is required not only for the victim, but also for the society. In their attempt to steal Cynthia’s property, the first and second defendants stole her life. They were not even remorseful. But for the efforts of the police and the Ministry of Justice we wouldn’t have been able to do anything. This court cannot change the law.”

    She sentenced Nwabufo and Ezike to 14 years imprisonment for stealing on the first count and three years imprisonment on the two counts of conspiracy to steal and commit murder.

    On the second count of murder, Justice Akinlade said: “I pronounce the sentence of this court upon you, Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo and  Olisaeloka Ezike, that both of you be hanged by the neck until you are dead and may God have mercy on your souls.”

    In reaching its decision, the court considered, among others, whether the prosecution proved that there was a murder, the cause of death and whether it was the defendant’s actions that led to Osokogu’s death.

    The prosecution, the judge said, not only proved beyond reasonable doubts that the deceased died, it also showed that she did not die a natural death and that her death was the direct result of the first two defendants’ action.

    She said the witnesses’ testimonies were corroborated by the exhibits, which included the first convict’s laptop containing nude pictures of the deceased and those of other victims.

    Nwabufo, who disowned his confessional statement in court, stated that the deceased was his fiancée, adding that he did not know how she died.

    He said: “The late Cynthia was my girlfriend; we were close as the way lovers are before they get married.

    “I promised her that I would marry her and she accepted but told me it is still early that I should wait till Christmas when I would visit her parents in Delta State.”

    But the court held, among others, that his failure to provide basic information about the deceased, such as her hometown, her university and course of study, the date he proposed to her and the fact that he had never met or spoken to her family, suggested that his answers were contrived.

    Reading from Nwabufo’s and Ezike’s disowned confessional statements, which were admitted after a trial-within-trial, the judge said it was immaterial whether they intended to kill the deceased or not, because they could be taken to intend the natural consequences of their action.

    On Ezike’s statement, the court said: “There is ample evidence that he participated in the crime. He assisted in tying down the deceased. He bought the chain with which the deceased was chained. He acted in concert with the defendant. In such a case, it does not matter who did what.”

  • Cynthia Osokogu: Defendants know fate tomorrow

    Cynthia Osokogu: Defendants know fate tomorrow

    A Lagos High Court will tomorrow deliver judgment in the trial of four men charged with the murder of Cynthia Osokogu.
    Justice Olabisi Akinlade reserved the verdict on January 12.
    Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka Ezike, 23; Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25 are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, murder, stealing, recklessness, negligence and possession of stolen goods.

  • Cynthia: Court stops defendant’s delay tactics

    Cynthia: Court stops defendant’s delay tactics

    Justice Olabisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, Thursday foreclosed the right of second defendant, Ezike Olisaeloka, to file his final written address in the ongoing trial of four men accused of murdering Cynthia Osokogu.

    Olisaeloka failed to file his final written address since last June 16, thus stalling the case, despite being granted several adjournments for this purpose by Justice Akinlade.

    ‎Osokogu, a 25-year-old student of Nasarawa State University resident in Abuja, was killed on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Festac Town, Lagos, allegedly by her Facebook lover.

    Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka, 23; Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25 are the first to fourth defendants in the case.

    They are standing trial on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, stealing, reckless negligence and possession of stolen goods.

    According to the prosecution, the offences contravene and are punishable under Sections 221, 249, 285 and 327 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Olisaeloka once again refused to file his address, following which Justice Akinlade granted prosecution counsel Mrs Bola Akinshete’s application to file her reply to the written addresses of the other defendants.

    The judge said: “I am not going to wait indefinitely for the second defendant’s counsel to file his final written address. It is on record that the court has given the second defendant several opportunities for him to file his written address since June 16. Up till now he has ‎been unable to file.

    “It is obvious that the counsel is not ready to file his final written ‎address. I hereby foreclose the right of the second defendant to file his final written address ‎and order the prosecution to file her reply on the final written addresses.”

    She adjourned till December 8, for adoption of the final written addresses.

    Cynthia Osokogu’s trial has suffered several adjournments due to the delay tactics of the defence counsel.

    At the last adjourned date on June 8, 2016, Justice Akinlade warned the second defendant that the court could award substantial costs against him over his failure to file.

  • Cynthia: Judge warns defendants against delay tactics 

    Cynthia: Judge warns defendants against delay tactics 

    Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere Monday warned the four men standing trial for the alleged murder of Cynthia Osukogu, a postgraduate student of Nasarawa State University, against attempting to delay the case.

    The trial which began in 2012, was scheduled for adoption of final written addresses yesterday, but suffered another setback when the defendants’ counsel sought for more time to file the addresses.

    The trial has suffered a series of adjournments due to delays by the defendants’ counsel in filing their written addresses since 2015.

    Justice Akinlade, who did not hide her displeasure over the delay Monday, warned the defence to stop giving flimsy excuses to delay the trial.

    During hearing in August 2015, the judge threatened to send the fourth defendant, Nonso Ezike, back to prison for deliberately stalling trial.

    Osukogu was allegedly murdered by friends she met on social media website, Facebook, on July 22, 2012, at Cosmilla Hotel, Lake View Estate, Festac Town in Lagos.

    The defendants, Okwumo Nwabufor, Olisaeloka Ezike, Orji Osita and Nonso Ejike, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    The case was adjourned till June 8, for the adoption of written addresses.

  • Cynthia: Judge chides defence counsel

    Justice Olabisi Akinlade has expressed displeasure with the defence counsels over the way they have been handling the defence of the accused persons in the ongoing trial of the alleged killers of  Cynthia Osokogu.

    The trial of the suspected killers at a Lagos High Court, Igbosere last week suffered another setback as  the counsel representing the second defendant, Michael Ajayi from the chambers of Mike Igbokwe (SAN) declined to proceed with his defence.

    At the resumed hearing of the case, Ajayi, who is the counsel to the second defendant was initially reluctant to proceed with the cross examination of the first defendant because of an application for stay of proceeding awaiting hearing at the Court of Appeal.

    However,  Justice Olabisi Akinlade insisted that he must proceed.

    After cross examination, Ajayi had declined to proceed with his defence. Rather he informed the court that he would not be able to open his case because his client had “shingles”.

    Justice Akinlade, however expressed disappointment with the counsel’s attitude, saying the defence had on different occasions given excuses to stall the case despite the priority accorded the matter.

    She sais counsel to the second defendant in this instance ought to have notified the prosecution prior to the court session to enable him attend to other pressing State matter instead of coming to court to waste precious time.

    Not pleased with this lackadaisical approach of the counsel, Justice Akinlade admonished the defence to conduct his case diligently next time.

    The Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, in his reaction also expressed his displeasure in the way counsel to the second defendant was conducting the case.

    The judge consequently granted the request of the defence for an adjournment of the matter till February 18, 2015.

    It would be recalled that the prosecution had closed its case since the September 19, 2014 having called eight witnesses including a Pathologist who had given testimony as to the cause of death.

    Cynthia was allegedly murdered at Cosmilla Hotel, Lake View Estate, FESTAC Town, Lagos by friends she met on the Facebook.

    Lagos State government had taken up the matter and charged Okwumo Nwabufo 34; Olisaeloka Ezike, 24; Orji Osita, 33 and Ezike Nonso, 25, to court two years ago for conspiracy, murder of Cynthia and other related offences.

  • Cynthia: Court admits video evidence

    Cynthia: Court admits video evidence

    A Lagos High Court, Igbosere, has admitted as exhibit a video recording of suspected killers of Cynthia Osokogu tendered by the state.

    Justice Olabisi Akinlade admitted the video in a ruling after the prosecution and defence teams made their submissions on point of law.

    Lagos Attorney General, Ade Ipaye, on Friday sought to tender the video evidence, but after opposition from lawyers to the first and second defendants on grounds that the video recording was not certified, withdrew same and prayed for an adjournment.

    At the resumed hearing on yesterday, Ipaye continued his evidence-in-chief with film editor and cinematographer, Emmanuel Peters who told the court how he made the video recording and certification.

    He said that he connected his Sony digital camera to a Panasonic DVD player with a DELL laptop computer which he used in producing the DVD containing the video after which he destroyed the copy on his camera.

    When shown the video, which played for a short while, the witness identified the DVD and its certification document which Ipaye urged the court to admit as exhibit.

    However, counsel to the second defendant (Olisaeloka Ezike), Micheal Ajayi objected the prosecution’s prayer, stating that the document does not fulfil the provisions of Section 104 of the Evidence Act.

    He argued that the certification was done after the trial had commenced and that there was nothing to show that legal fees had been paid to obtain the document, citing a case of Tapik United Vs GTB Plc.

    Ipaye cited Section 141 of the Evidence Act, noting that the proof of payment is required where “there are legal fees prescribed in that respect.”

    Ipaye urged the court to admit the DVD accompanied with the certification as evidence because they are very relevant.

    “The DVD was produced at the instruction of the police in the course of investigation; the whole purpose is to put it in evidence in a prosecution initiated by the state as between the police and the prosecution authority.

    “What the Supreme Court said on the case cited by the defence counsel was that the learned trial judge ought to have ordered counsel to ensure that the said documents are paid for after which the trial continues,” said Ipaye.

    Subsequently, Akinlade ruled in favour of the prosecution and admitted the video and certification as exhibits.

    Another prosecution witness, Inspector Yemi Olagbende from the Homicide Section of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, was later called to give account of his investigation, after which the matter was adjourned till September 19 for continuation.

    The defendants in the trial are Okwumo Nwabufo 34; Ezike, 24; Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25. They were charged with alleged conspiracy, murder, armed robbery administering illegal drug and receiving stolen property.

  • Cynthia: ‘Suspects committed similar offences in two hotels’

    Cynthia: ‘Suspects committed similar offences in two hotels’

    •Lagos tenders graphic evidence

    A Lagos High Court, Igbosere, was yesterday told that the suspected killers of Cynthia Osokogu had committed similar offences in two other hotels in Festac.

    A prosecution witness, Joseph Edo, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), during cross-examination in the trial of four suspected killers of the deceased, said the other two offences were committed at Chelsea Suit and Penny Hotel by Okumo Nwabufo and Olisaeloka Ejike (first and second defendants).

    The other two defendants in the trial are the pharmacist who allegedly sold the drug used to drug the deceased, Orji Osita, and brother to the second defendant, who allegedly sold Cynthia’s stolen phone, Nonso Ezike.

    Explaining why the other cases were not included in the trial, Edo said the incidents did not happen on the same day, adding: “It was based on the confessional statement by the 1st and 2nd defendants that they carried out similar acts in other hotels in Festac.”

    He said investigations into the other two cases were ongoing, adding that the fourth defendant (Nonso) received stolen phones on three occasions from the first and second defendants.

    “The fourth defendant took me to Ladipo market where he stole somebody’s receipt which he used in selling the deceased’s phone to someone in Port Harcourt and the person was arrested. He bought the phone for N30,000 and sold for N40,000. He also knows that his elder brother does not deal in phone. He confessed that he gave the locked phone to a repairer who flashed it for him,” Edo said.

    Similarly, the state government tendered a laptop containing graphic evidence on how Cynthia was murdered.

    The laptop, which allegedly belongs to Nwabufo, according to another prosecution witness, Sergeant John Babalola, was retrieved from the defendant after he confessed to downloading gory pictures of the deceased from his Blackberry phone into his laptop.

    Among the pictures presented before Justice Olabisi Akinlade was a close shot of the deceased’s private part; one showing the deceased cellotaped and another showing the late Cynthia’s international passport placed on her chest.

    Led in evidence by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, Babalola told the court that Nwabufo was told to make a further statement after the said pictures were discovered in his laptop in his house.

    “After we discovered the pictures, Area Commander Dan Okoro asked that additional statements be made. The statement was signed by the first defendant. When the first defendant was arrested, he confessed that he knew what he did and that everything was over.

    “He sent the pictures to his laptop through his Blackberry phone. The first defendant operated the Blackberry phone to show us (police) the chain used in tying the deceased. The owner of the phone is the first defendant,” said Babalola.

    Continuing, the witness said on August 20, 2012, the first defendant was arrested and his statement was taken.

    “Based on his confessional statement, me and my team followed him to his home in Festac and recovered the said laptop, phones and various network SIM cards.

    “On that same date, the first defendant was asked to open the laptop, which he carried by himself to the Area Commander’s office. I and one ASP Marian were there and we saw the picture of the deceased lying down and her international passport lying on her chest.”

    After listening to the testimonies of the witness and admitting the laptop as exhibit, Justice Akinlade adjourned the case till June 27 and 30 for continuation, following the prosecution’s argument that they would operate Nwabufo’s phone before the defence counsels.

    Osokogu, who was murdered in Cosmilla Hotels in Festac on July 22, 2012, was said to have met her alleged killers on Facebook.

    She was lured to Lagos, where she was allegedly chained, raped, and drugged and strangled by Nwabufo and Ezike.

    They also allegedly stole three Blackberry phones valued at N150,000; jewellery, an international passport and a driver’s licence, belonging to the deceased.

  • Cynthia Osokogu: Absence of defence counsel stalls trial

    Cynthia Osokogu: Absence of defence counsel stalls trial

    The trial of Cynthia Osokogu’s alleged murderers was on Friday stalled by the absence of a defence counsel, Mr. Victor Opara.

    Opara, who is the counsel to Nwabufo, sent a letter notifying the court that he was sick.

    Four suspects: Okwumo Nwabufo 33, Olisaeloka Ezike, 23, Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25, are standing trial before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, over the alleged offence.

    Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, told the court presided over by Justice Olabisi Akinlade that he was served with a copy of the letter in the court.

    Following the development, the judge adjourned the matter to June 21, for continuation of trial.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the defendants were arraigned on February 8 by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

    Ipaye had alleged that Osokogu was killed by Nwabufo and Ezike on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Festac Town, Lagos.

    The Lagos Attorney-General had claimed that Osokogu had met the duo through Facebook, a social networking site, was lured by them to Lagos where she was killed.

    Ipaye also alleged that the suspects murdered Osokogu by administering Rohypnol Flunitrazepan tablet into her drink, chaining her hands and legs and strangling her to death.

    They were also alleged to have stolen three blackberry phones valued at N150,000, Jewelries, an international passport, and a drivers’ licence, belonging to the deceased.

    Ipaye also accused Osita, a pharmacist, of negligently selling the Rohypnol Flunitrazepan tablets to Ezike, without a doctor’s prescription and without showing due care.

    The attorney-general alleged that Nonso was charged for being in possession of three blackberry mobile phones belonging to Osokogu.

     

     

     

  • Cynthia Osokogu’s hands tied by killers – Autopsy

    Cynthia Osokogu’s hands tied by killers – Autopsy

    An Ikeja High Court on Friday viewed slide images of the autopsy conducted on the remains of Cynthia Osokogu, who was murdered in a Lagos Hotel on July 22, 2012.

    The images were shown to the court through a projector by Consultant Pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, Prof. John Obafunwa.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obafunwa was testifying at the resumed trial of four men charged with the alleged murder of the 25-year-old lady.

    The men, Okwumo Nwabufo (33), Olisaeloka Ezike (23), Orji Osita (33) and Ezike Nonso (25), are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, murder, stealing, reckless negligence and possession of stolen goods.

    The images showed that late Osokogu’s hands were tied behind her back with a duct tape and a chain covered with a blue plastic wrap.

    It further showed several bruises on her body, while her mouth was stuffed with a handkerchief, hair net and weave-on which were sealed with a duct tape.

    Led in evidence by Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr Ade Ipaye, Obafunwa said the autopsy was carried out five months after the deceased was killed.

    He said that samples were taken from her various organs for toxicology studies, to determine the presence or absence of chemicals (drugs) on her system.

    The expert witness said the toxicology result came back negative; adding that this might be due to the time the autopsy was conducted.

    “It is either that drugs were absent in the first instance or as a result of the time interval which could have made the drugs disintegrate and become undetectable,” he said.

    The forensic pathologist said that Osokogu’s corpse was tagged “unknown” when it was brought to the morgue at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

    Obafunwa said that a duct tape was used to cover her mouth, adding that the only clothing she had on was an under shirt with pink stripes.

    He said: “From our findings, the lungs of the deceased were heavily engorged with blood, weighing between 400 and 500 grammes, instead of the normal 250 and 300 grammes.

    “There were also tiny beads on the surface, which was caused by the accumulation of blood, called Pulmonary Oedema.”

    Obafunwa told the court that when the kidney of the deceased was sliced open, it had dark spots in some areas, indicating a shutdown of blood circulation due to shock.

    He said that there were also suspected bite marks on Osokogu’s thighs.

    “Like I said the last time, the deceased was asphyxiated, which means absence of oxygen supply to the body.

    “That was the immediate cause of death. It was as a result of the blockage of her upper respiratory airways.

    “This blockage was caused by the deceased being gagged and choked,” he said.

    NAN reports that Nwabufo and Ezike are standing trial for allegedly murdering Osokogu at Cosmilla Hotel, Lake View Estate, Festac Town, Lagos.

    Osita, a pharmacist, is also being prosecuted for negligently selling the Rohypnol Flunitrazepan tablets to Ezike, which was allegedly used to drug Osokogu, before she was killed.

    The fourth defendant, Nonso, was charged to court for being in possession of three blackberry mobile phones belonging to the deceased.

    The trial judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade, adjourned the case till May 31 for continuation of trial.